# European royal crown made of aluminum? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 9, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490 "2012-12-09T05:05:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/1 "2012-12-09T05:05:16Z")
If I understand correctly, back before electricity could easily be produced, it was very difficult to smelt bauxite ore into aluminum. I seem to remember hearing that one European crown actually includes aluminum because it was so rare and costly. But now I can’t find anything about it; all my Googling brings up things about Royal Crown cola and the like. Does anyone else know this story? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/2 "2012-12-09T05:13:16Z")
I suspect its a confused rendering of this, from wikipedia: > [@](#): > > Early aluminium was more costly than gold or platinum. Bars of aluminium were exhibited **alongside the French crown jewels** at the Exposition Universelle of 1855, So not exactly the same as having an actual Aluminium crown, but the same idea of the material being so expensive that it was displayed alongside the royal bric-a-brac. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/3 "2012-12-09T05:23:55Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I suspect its a confused rendering of this, from wikipedia: > > So not exactly the same as having an actual Aluminium crown, but the same idea of the material being so expensive that it was displayed alongside the royal bric-a-brac. Which is fine, except we’re talking about [aluminum, not aluminium.](http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/aluminium.htm) 😉 (Oh, just call it Al.) ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/4 "2012-12-09T05:37:38Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Which is fine, except we’re talking about [aluminum, not aluminium.](http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/aluminium.htm) > > 😉 > > (Oh, just call it Al.) Your own link explains why the longer, British, spelling and pronunciation is more correct, being preferred by the discoverer, conforming to standard rules of suffix formation, and even being preferred 19th century American chemists. “Aluminum” is just a bit a bit of lazy slurring, following what was almost certainly a simple misprint made by Noah Webster. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/5 "2012-12-09T05:45:19Z")
Not to get off topic, but I never pick up on that spelling variation - my brain just seems to always see “aluminum”. It is kind of a weird thing to think of. I think aluminum is the only metal that used to be considered precious and is no longer. Even if there was never a crown made of it - it is still cool to think of the whole Washington monument thing (and also I believe aluminum cutlery was considered nicer than silver). ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/6 "2012-12-09T06:31:04Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Your own link explains why the longer, British, spelling and pronunciation is more correct, being preferred by the discoverer, conforming to standard rules of suffix formation, and even being preferred 19th century American chemists. “Aluminum” is just a bit a bit of lazy slurring, following what was almost certainly a simple misprint made by Noah Webster. I fear your opinion may be coloured. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/7 "2012-12-09T07:28:49Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Your own link explains why the longer, British, spelling and pronunciation is more correct, being preferred by the discoverer, conforming to standard rules of suffix formation, and even being preferred 19th century American chemists. “Aluminum” is just a bit a bit of lazy slurring, following what was almost certainly a simple misprint made by Noah Webster. Actually, it says only that _aluminium_ was eventually settled upon by Davy. But _aluminum_ was used in Davy’s 1812\* Chemical Philosophy\*, and it was an anonymous critic who proposed _aluminium_ due to a more “classical sound.” There are no rules of suffix formation for the elements, and molybdenum, lanthanum, and platinum all have the -num suffix. In short, the only reason Brits use _aluminium_ is because some dude liked the sound better. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/9 "2012-12-09T08:42:56Z")
> [@DataX](#): > > It is kind of a weird thing to think of. I think aluminum is the only metal that used to be considered precious and is no longer. In modern times, I suppose yes. But if you go far enough back, _any_ metal would have been considered precious - including iron, copper and tin (the latter of which is now often used a synonym for ‘cheap’) ---
**Author:** ![APB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e8cbc/32.png) [@APB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/APB)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/10 "2012-12-09T08:49:45Z")
> [@Mr\_Downtown](#): > > I seem to remember hearing that one European crown actually includes aluminum because it was so rare and costly. Are you thinking of [the aluminium helmet of Frederik VII](http://dkks.dk/Frederik-VII-s-helmet)? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/11 "2012-12-09T09:03:07Z")
The Washington Monument has an aluminum “crown” of sorts, a hundred-ounce apex that cost $225 in 1884. That made it slightly more expensive than silver. It was at the time the largest piece of aluminum ever cast. [A History of the Aluminum Cap of the Washington Monument](http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/jom/9511/binczewski-9511.html) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/12 "2012-12-09T10:03:05Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Your own link explains why the longer, British, spelling and pronunciation is more correct, being preferred by the discoverer, conforming to standard rules of suffix formation, and even being preferred 19th century American chemists. “Aluminum” is just a bit a bit of lazy slurring, following what was almost certainly a simple misprint made by Noah Webster. Calling it lazy slurring and a misprint is a bit disingenuous when the spelling was used in published writings by the discoverer, even if he did change his mind. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/13 "2012-12-09T14:40:17Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > In short, the only reason Brits use _aluminium_ is because some dude liked the sound better. Not “Brits” - the entire world except for the USA (and maybe some Canadians). And since the [International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_of_Pure_and_Applied_Chemistry), who are the arbiters of such things, say it’s aluminium, you have officially lost this argument. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/14 "2012-12-09T14:57:05Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > In short, the only reason Brits use _aluminium_ is because some dude liked the sound better. “Have you ever danced with the Davy in the pale moonlight?” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/15 "2012-12-09T15:43:19Z")
One object that I know of which is sort-of famously made of alumin(i)um is [the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccadilly_Circus#Shaftesbury_Memorial_and_the_Statue_of_Eros). I learned that recently on QI (which, of course, is the source of every single fact that I know). ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/16 "2012-12-09T15:46:01Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Not “Brits” - the entire world except for the USA (and maybe some Canadians). > > And since the [International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_of_Pure_and_Applied_Chemistry), who are the arbiters of such things, say it’s aluminium, you have officially lost this argument. [Wrong.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Etymology) > [@](#): > > Two variants of the metal’s name are in current use, aluminium and aluminum (besides the obsolete alumium). The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) adopted aluminium as the standard international name for the element in 1990 but, three years later, recognized aluminum as an acceptable variant. Hence their periodic table includes both. IUPAC prefers the use of aluminium in its internal publications, although nearly as many IUPAC publications use the spelling aluminum. Also, here’s the [IUPAC Aluminum page](http://old.iupac.org/reports/1998/7001coplen/aluminium.html), with both spellings. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/17 "2012-12-09T16:01:14Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Not “Brits” - the entire world except for the USA (and maybe some Canadians). > > And since the [International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_of_Pure_and_Applied_Chemistry), who are the arbiters of such things, say it’s aluminium, you have officially lost this argument. To be honest, I’d be happy to lose the second I in Aluminium, on condition we could keep the PH in Sulphur ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/18 "2012-12-09T16:16:00Z")
The pronunciation of the element is a very important topic since it’s the only difference in pronunciation and spelling of words between the US and GB. Amazing that we’ve tolerated this discrepancy all these years. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/19 "2012-12-09T16:21:06Z")
> [@APB](#): > > Are you thinking of [the aluminium helmet of Frederik VII](http://dkks.dk/Frederik-VII-s-helmet)? Thank you! I heard the aluminum crown story years ago, specifically regarding a Danish king. No amount of googling could confirm it, so this helmet angle is obviously the origin. Kudos! ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/20 "2012-12-09T16:45:23Z")
For the same reason the top of the Washington Monument is aluminum… it was considered rare at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490/21 "2012-12-09T20:33:22Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > And since the [International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Union_of_Pure_and_Applied_Chemistry), who are the arbiters of such things In some contexts. Common usage is the arbiter in most contexts. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/european-royal-crown-made-of-aluminum/643490.md?page=2)